How to Plant Garlic in Fall (Step-by-Step for Big Bulbs), by Tips For Your Garden on YouTube. 7 min 21 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 21 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Plant about 2 to 4 weeks after your first frost date, when soil is cool but not frozen. In mild climates you can plant from October to December.
Buy seed garlic from a garden supplier. Supermarket garlic may be treated to stop sprouting and can carry disease.
Pick hardneck types for cold winters and strong flavour, or softneck types for milder climates and longer storage.
Break bulbs into single cloves just before planting. Keep the papery skin on and leave the base plate intact.
Loosen the bed 20 to 30 cm deep and dig in compost. For pots, use a large container with drainage holes and fresh potting mix.
Push each clove pointed end up into the soil, about 5 cm deep and 15 cm apart. Space rows about 30 cm apart.
Water the bed, then cover it with 10 to 15 cm of straw or leaves to insulate the soil through winter.
Pull the mulch back in early spring and water when the soil dries. Feed with a nitrogen fertiliser as green shoots appear.
Snap off the curly scapes on hardneck garlic in early summer so the plant puts energy into the bulb.
Harvest when the lower leaves turn brown but 4 to 5 green leaves remain. Lift bulbs with a fork, then cure them in a dry, airy spot for 2 to 3 weeks.
Tips and common mistakes
Planting cloves upside down or too shallow is the most common reason for small bulbs.
Never plant a clove with a damaged base plate, since that is where the roots form.
Do not water heavily in winter, as wet soil can rot the cloves.
Keep the biggest cloves for planting and eat the small ones.
Questions
Can I plant garlic from the supermarket?
It often fails because the bulbs may be treated to stop sprouting and can carry soil diseases. Buy certified seed garlic instead.
How deep should garlic cloves go?
About 5 cm deep, with the pointed end up. In loose soil you can go a little deeper, around 7 cm.
Do I have to mulch garlic in fall?
It helps in cold areas by preventing frost heave and keeping moisture even. In mild climates a light layer is enough.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
